Chapter 2 - Alexis Jackson's POV
"Beeeeep," the whistle blows as I dive into the cold pool. I start swimming freestyle and enjoy my time in the pool with water splashing all around me, I feel like I'm home. I'm always the best in swimming, probably the best at swimming in my school (not trying to show off, it's just a fact). When I'm in the pool I can think straight, and feel even smarter than when I'm on land (and i'm very smart on land).
A deep voice interrupts my thoughts: "Alexis Jackson, go to Long Island New York Manhattan, camp half-blood, your destiny awaits there."
I shoot out of the water, not knowing what i'm feeling. Am I shocked? Confused? I look around me, everyone is swimming like nothing has happened. Is there something wrong with my ears too?
I was seeing weird things, like distorted creatures, and I told my parents but they said it was normal, but I was never too convinced. I sink back into the pool again just to make sure that i'm not imagining this.
"Um, hello? Anyone there?" I shout in the pool.
I'm not exactly sure how I can talk in the water and how it sounds like, but I hope the voice understands me.
"Go, go there now, to Long Island New York Manhattan, camp half-blood, they need you, there is no time. GO!" The voice booms once again before it fades away.
I plunge out of the water, and see coach shouting at me blowing his whistle like mad: "Keep moving! Why did you stop?"
"Sorry, I I..." I stutter, "I dropped my goggles, I had to dive down to get it."
I'm not too good and making up stories but I'm pretty experienced as I always get into trouble. Mum says I take over my dad for that. I quickly continue swimming to the end, so I overtake everyone and win once again.
After school, I go home not forgetting about the strange thing that happened in the pool. "I'm home!" I shout just after I unlocked the door with my magical car key I got for my seventh birthday.
It can open every door, well at least thats what my parents said, it can also turn into a sword that i'm unfortunately only allowed to use in emergencies.
"Hi Alexis! How was school today?" Grandma Sally asks.
"Fine," I reply as usual.
I eat some blue cookies (grandma special) then walk to my room. I collapse on my bed and start thinking about the voice in the pool. The voice was quite realistic and when I asked again, it confirmed with me, but who was saying it? Thoughts like this keep rolling around my head until I finally decide that I must go to Long is a strange urge inside me that tells me to go.
I quickly pack my rucksack with a sleeping bag, map, water, sandwich and some emergency money. Of course, I also bring my lucky car key and cell phone.
"Dinner is ready!" Grandpa Paul shouts cheerfully.
"Coming," I reply, quickly shoving the things in my rucksack. I sling it over my shoulder and quickly walk to the dinner table.
"Why are you all packed?" Grandpa wonders out loud just as he sits down and stares at the rucksack beside me.
"Oh yes, about that..." I begin suddenly realising that I hadn't prepared what I am going to say at all.
Luckily, grandma interrupts while walking towards the dining table while serving dinner, "Alexis, you will be happy, I decided to cook your favourite blue pasta, grandma Sally's special." She winks at me as she says this.
"So, as you were saying..." grandpa Paul urges upon me again, seeming really desperate.
"Yeah, um, well, I..." I feel lost for words and grandpa gives me a carry on look while grandma is staring at me waiting for a reply.
"Oh, get on with it!" Grandpa says irritated as he serves himself some blue salad.
"Today in P.E, we had swimming," I begin, still not sure if I should tell the truth or not. At the word swimming, grandma and grandpa glance at each other and I try to ignore this. "There was this voice in the pool telling me to go to Long Island New York Manhattan, to this camp. I think it was camp half-blood or something." I blurt out the truth, not being able to take the pressure anymore.
There is a very awkward silence between us.
"We need to talk about this," grandma says as she keeps looking at grandpa out of the corner of her eyes. Grandpa just nods.
"Oh come on! They, well the voice, said it is important, so I need to go. I can't explain, but something in that voice is sort of forcing me to go. Besides, if I don't need to go after all, it's no harm checking it out," I confess.
Grandma and grandpa sigh in unison, "Alexis Jackson, you are so obviously the daughter of Percy and Annabeth," grandma says.
My parents are a tough topic. Everything in the house seems to get tense when we talk about them because they are never around. What grandma and grandpa told me is that they are explorers and are always close to death on their journeys. They come back about 3 times a year. They are very busy explorers!
"So, I'm going ok?" I say trying to switch topic.
"Alexis! You can't just leave! This is very serious. It's going to be a very dangerous journey. It's a big decision you're making," grandma says very seriously.
"Sally is right, let's talk it through," grandpa agrees.
"Look, the voice said it's urgent and I have to go there now," I look at them, and I know they are not going to give in to me. "Fine, whatever it is, make it quick," I surrender.
Grandma and grandpa walk to the kitchen and begin whispering intensely to each other. After a while they walk back, "Well, we have decided that you have to go as it is very important, but be prepared, it's going to be very dangerous. Use your car key, you are going to need it. Good luck," grandma says nearly in tears as grandpa takes a tattered old hanky and passes it to her. "Thanks, I will. I'm glad you guys understand. Take care, I love you." I say, also feeling pretty awful to be ditching them all of a sudden. I give them a quick hug and kiss, grandma comes over with a box of the blue cupcakes she just made. I take them and give her a warm smile and she gives a sad smile back. I turn around, not wanting to look back to see grandma crying like that, and close the door behind me.
I take some coins out of my pocket that I can use for the bus. I look at the map and walk up Sunset Dr and then turn into Maple Avenue. I walk for a long time until I finally reach the bus stop (luckily I packed light).
I sit in the bus for a long time listening to music on my phone. Finally, the bus stops at the train station. I get off and step into a big crowd, where everyone is squashed together and rushing to get on the train. I tiptoe in order to get a better view of the train station as I'm not very tall.
I find the information counter and manage to get there by wiggling through many people and saying 'excuse me' many times.
"Hi, good evening," I say in a friendly manner at the lady with short hair behind the counter. "Hello, what can I do for you today?" She replies looking up from her computer.
"What time is the next train to North Philadelphia?" I ask.
There is a moment of clicking noises coming from the computer but then she finally says "7:45, do you have a ticket?"
"No, about that, is it possible that I can buy one now?" I ask optimistically.
After a few more clicks she says: "Nope, I'm sorry, it's all fully booked."
"But I, I have to go today. It's urgent. Are you sure? I don't need a seat. I can always just stand," I say in a rush pleadingly.
She frowns and shakes her head, "I'm afraid not, you should have bought a ticket in advance if it's that important," she says poshly.
"But..." I begin, she interrupts me and holds up her hand, "No 'buts', young lady, no is no," she says ending the conversation.
I'm about to start again when I see a very beautiful girl, about my age and is blond like me. She is wearing a typical cheerleader outfit. Why would you wear something like that at a train station? When she turns, I see a glimpse of her pale white face, like she has never been under the sun.
She walks up to the counter and queues up behind me. I look at her and smile. She gives back a cold smile matching with her icy blue eyes.
"Hello, good evening, what can I do for you?" the counter lady looks past me, directly at the girl behind me, as if ignoring me on purpose.
"Hi, where is the bathroom?" the cheerleader girl asks sweetly. I step away a bit embarrassed, letting them talk first.
"Turn left and then walk to the end of the corridor," the counter lady replies much kinder than when speaking to me!
"Thank you," the cheerleader girl says, she flicks her blond hair back, turns and walks towards the bathroom. I realise that I really need the bathroom too just as the cheerleader girl walks away.
"I'll be back, I'm just going to the bathroom. I still need a ticket," I give her a very 'friendly' smirk and the counter lady rolls her eyes. I walk to the bathroom, it's a pretty big one. Inside, there is another cheerleader girl, probably from the same cheerleading team. She is checking out herself in the mirror, takes some lipstick from her pouch and puts some on. She looks African-American, with dark curly hair.
She glances at me as I walk into the cubicle, but I pretend to ignore it. 'Click', the knob of a cubicle unlocks, "When should we do it?" Someone whispers.
"Duh, of course now, she is right here. It'll be quick, let's just get it over and done with," another voice replies back. I step out of the cubicle and two cheerleaders are there now, the blond one from the counter and the African-American. They are both admiring themselves in the mirror.
I wash my hands in the basin beside them. I wave to them because I notice that they are awkwardly staring at me out of the corner of their eyes.
In unison, they wave their hands showing off their hot pink nails. Now that I got to have a closer look at them, I realise that they both have their names neatly sewn onto the their shirts. The blond one's says 'Kelli', and the African-American one's says 'Tammi'.
They look each other in the eye and immediately Kelli says: "We have a performance today, we would like to show you our new routine. Want to see it?" I stare awkwardly.
They pull out pom-poms and start doing some moves, but then I realise that their hair is now flaming red. Slowly but surely, the cheerleaders legs are changing too. From well, normal legs to a mismatched pair - one horse leg and one leg cast out of shining bronze.
Their cheerleading stops, they start threatening me in unison: "We are Empousai, servants of the goddess Hecate. We have orders for you not to leave this bathroom alive." I freeze.
What on earth is going on? This must be some sort of foolish game, but I am not sure.
"And we want to get it over and done with quickly, so be a good girl and stand still, lets make this easy for both of us, shall we?"
My hand tightens around the car key. I'm only allowed to use it in emergencies, but I feel that this is going to be one. On the rare occasion my parents come home, they once told me not to press the car key button (somehow my curiosity had not overcome me), but the next time they visited they said to press it in life threatening situations.
This is definitely one, I click it. In the car key's place is a meter's length of shining bronze. The unexpected weight pulls me down, but I use my strength and point it at the Empousai confidently. They laugh, but there is definitely uneasiness in them.
One strides up to me and knocks it out of my grip. The car key becomes it's old self again and skids across the bathroom floor. I sprint over to pick it up again, but the other one stops me.
I stand weaponless against some ancient monster assassin. They close down upon me as I close my eyes wondering why I ever left home and waiting for the death strike.
But it never came.
The sound of rushing water fills my ears. I open my eyes, the bathroom floor is flooded with toilet water and miraculously, I'm dry. I feel like I usually do in water - unlimited and powerful (even though it's toilet water).
The two Empousai are on the floor, hair wet and eyes flashing murderously. In one swift move I pick up and re-project my sword and slice the heads of the monsters off. They disintegrate into fine dust.
I close my sword, feeling a bit guilty killing the monsters, but at the same time glad I'm alive. I walk out of the bathroom, feeling so exhausted, which is a kind of tiredness I've never felt before.
I turn right and sliding my feet across the tile and manage to drag myself to the counter again. I stand at the counter expecting her to say something, but she is just on her computer not noticing anything.
"Ticket?" I ask when I realise that she isn't saying anything.
"To where?" she asks smiling sweetly at me. Is she pretending that nothing happened? Or does she just have a really really bad memory? I go with it, so then I can hopefully get a ticket. "North Philadelphia," I say casually.
"Here you go, that would be $40." She says as she gives me a ticket, I give her the money really quickly, in case she changes her mind.
"Thank you!" I say, and run off to the train.
I step off the train, eying my surroundings for any unusual sights. A small town, I observe, a dark wood to the left of it, I turn right.
I see a bit of black fur peeping out from the corner, and I know that trouble is here. I start running towards the woods and crouch behind a rock, as I expect, this doesn't work. I slowly stand up and face a big furry dog the size of a rhino with glowing red eyes, I recognise this as a hellhound. I read in a greek mythology book.
I don't hesitate and immediately click my magical car key, and the car key disappears replaced with a shining bronze sword, glowing in the dark night sky in my hand.
Too late, the hellhound had already pounced at me, I slash wildly at it. My hand is covered in blood, so I turn and run as fast as I can into the deep dangerous woods.